


Suds in the Bucket

by whiskeyunicorn



Series: i like my music real loud [2]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, F/F, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, that's it that's the story, they run away to vegas and get married
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27900100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskeyunicorn/pseuds/whiskeyunicorn
Summary: Well, she must have been a lookerA smooth talking son of a gunFor such a grounded girl to just up and runCourse you can't fence timeAnd you can't stop loveA Wayhaught one-shot following "Suds in the Bucket" by Sara Evans.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught
Series: i like my music real loud [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043043
Comments: 9
Kudos: 42





	Suds in the Bucket

**Author's Note:**

> Set about one year after cardigan, but can be read on it's own!
> 
> Based on the song Suds in the Bucket by Sara Evans, but you don't have to know the song to know the story,

An orchestra of crickets became the soundtrack of Waverly’s nerves. Chirp. Breathe. Chirp. Breathe. Chirp. Breathe.

Everything, so far, had fallen in perfect accordance with her and Nicole’s plan. Gus was at work. Waverly had her belongings packed in a suitcase, a duffle bag, and a backpack. With everything prepared ahead of time, she had nothing left to do but wait. This resulted in busying herself with laundry, not even her own, to pass the time.

While her aunt and uncle were always accepting and open-minded, they stuck to odd, old fashioned ways. The rest of Purgatory had at least attempted to enter the 21st century, barely, but for the entirety of Waverly’s life, they insisted on hand washed and line dried laundry. Previously annoyed at the impracticality of the task, it suited the girl in her current state, using the washing as a distraction while she waited for the plan to unfold.

Tires on asphalt scared the crickets to silence. Curiously, Waverly’s anxiety was silenced, too. A white pickup truck pulled into the driveway - no headlights, just in case a neighbor decided to be nosey - but she knew it marked Nicole’s arrival, so she grabbed her bags and dashed out of the gate.

She felt bad for doing it this way, truly, but she knew that if she told Aunt Gus, or anyone else, she’d let herself be talked out of it. That pesky need to appease everyone, to be liked and accepted, had dulled significantly over her senior year, but it was still present. Nicole suggested it would be easier to tell no one, and Waverly eventually agreed. Though as she threw her bag into the bed of the truck, she wondered if they knew, if they saw this coming.

Everyone stayed in Purgatory, except for Wynonna, who’d left right after Waverly’s 17th birthday. She was running with a motorcycle gang, which was supposedly going well for her. A lack of cell reception on the open road led to a dwindling of the sisters’ communication, but their bond never lessened. The town saw the inevitability of Wynonna practically disappearing since the day she tried to run away from home at the age of five. Contrarily, the assumption was that the youngest Earp would stick around.

Valedictorian, head cheerleader, prom queen, and all around adored young woman Waverly Earp was the type of person to stay in her hometown for the rest of her life - marry her high school sweetheart, have a bunch of babies, the whole deal. Wynonna’s departure taught her that maybe, just maybe, she could dream bigger than that. It was only a matter of time until she acted on it. And, to be fair, she was going to stay true to some of the things on that list.

They’d been planning this for months. The small town was too oppressive, too intolerant, and too suffocating for young souls meant for greatness. Waverly said in her valedictorian speech, “Bigger and better things are on the horizon.” For her and Nicole, that was starting tonight, a few days after Waverly’s birthday.

Aunt Gus had thrown a graduation party for the girls in early June. The whole of Purgatory seemed to show, all wanting to dote on the pride and joy of their town and her “good friend.” That was the nail in the coffin, the covert yet ever present bigotry. It was originally a large reason that Waverly was reluctant to have a public relationship. A town like this had too many backwards ways of thinking. Now both 18, a few months out of high school and deeply in love, Nicole and Waverly were getting out of there.

Waverly stood on her tiptoes, leant into the rolled down window of the truck, and pecked Nicole on the cheek in greeting. Even though she was on the receiving end of her girlfriend’s affection all the time, Nicole blushed.

“Ready, baby?” the redhead asked.

“Just a second.”

The younger girl jogged to the front door and pulled a piece of paper out of her back pocket. She pressed the sticky note that read “Sorry, but I gotta go. -W” to the screen door, knowing Gus would see it as soon as she came home later that night. Short, sweet, to the point. It wasn’t the closure anyone would’ve wanted, but she needed it this way.

Twenty minutes on the road, approaching the county line marker, Waverly turned down the radio. “How’re you doing?”

Nicole smiled but kept her eyes on the road. “I’m great.”

“Do you… Your parents. How do you think they’ll be?”

“Oh,” the redhead laughed dryly, “They’re gone until next month. Another business trip. It won’t make a difference to them.” 

The passenger hummed in acknowledgement, lost deep in thought as she watched the Purgatory sign fade from view in the side mirror. When she could no longer make it out, she spoke again. “Gus’ll be heartbroken. I feel kinda bad, especially since Curtis.”

“Are you having second thoughts? Do you want to turn around? We can go back and-”

“No!” Waverly yelled and then winced at her own volume. “No. We have to get out of that damn town. We’re going, even if it’s hard.”

Nicole was silent for a few beats before confessing, “My, uh, my dad. He’ll be sad, I think.”

“Yeah?” Waverly responded. She had only met her girlfriend’s parents a handful of times in their two years of dating. Well, almost two years and an interlude last summer, but who was counting? The older girl’s parents were often travelling for work and usually left Nicole to herself when they were home. She didn’t talk much about them, and Waverly didn’t ask, knowing from personal experience how complicated family relationships could be.

“Yeah. We sometimes would have coffee together, in the morning before school. I mean, when he was home. He’ll probably be confused at least.”

“We’re doing the right thing,” Waverly offered in response. It was a statement. Neither girl needed convincing anymore, not after they started the discussion in January. After Curtis’ passing a month later, they were decided, knowing they both needed to walk away from the place that held them back.

“We’re still kids,” Nicole countered. Again, it was a statement. This was a part of their argument from the beginning. Should they just disappear like this? How would their friends, family, and the town react? In the end, neither could stand Purgatory any longer. They knew it had to be now.

“We’re both legal adults. Finally.”

“Still kids. Our whole lives ahead of us, Waves.”

Waverly reached over the center console to place a loving hand on Nicole’s thigh. “A whole life with you?” she cooed.

“Mhm.” Nicole looked over briefly. The distinctive look of love only she could give her had Waverly’s heart nearly beating from her chest. It felt too good to be true. Realistically, they were too young. It couldn’t work in the long run. Though, reality didn’t matter when it was a thing of fairy tales, this thing between them. Such immense love was only described in real life once - Gus’ speech at Curtis’ funeral. The other times they heard about it were intangible, fantasy, theoretical. Like in a sappy rom com or at church when the preacher talked about marriage.

Waverly returned to a comfortable sitting position, but kept her hand on her girlfriend’s thigh. She continued the conversation by asking, “Do you think Father Juan Carlo will say anything?”

In a subconscious action, as though thinking about the question, Nicole tapped her fingers against the steering wheel as she asked, “In his sermon?”

“Yeah, the town’s resident ‘good girl’ runs off with her  _ girlfriend  _ in the middle of the night. Everyone will be there on Sunday, except our seats will be empty. Do you think he’ll say anything?”

“It _ was _ suspicious that he gave the prodigal son sermon the week after Wynonna left. Maybe he’ll throw some Leviticus at them!”

The brunette giggled and rolled her eyes. “I think he’s secretly fine with it. I mean, he caught us making out that one time and didn’t say anything.”

“Because someone couldn’t keep her hands off me in the middle of church.”

“Excuse you! It wasn’t in the middle of church. It was behind the church. After service. Because  _ someone _ wanted a cigarette.” For good measure, she played with a tip of red hair between her fingers. Taunting.

“My point still stands.”

Referring to both the awkward encounter with their preacher and the current way Waverly was pulling at her hair, Nicole responded, “I can’t not kiss you when you put your hands on me.”

“Well how am I supposed to keep my hands off you when you look at me like that?” Waverly shrugged passively.

“Like what?”

“Nicole,” the passenger almost whispered as she leant most of her torso over, as far as her seatbelt would let here. “You’re always giving me those eyes and those dimples. You expect me to keep my hands to myself?”

“That would be kinda hot, your hands on yourself,” Nicole smirked.

Waverly paused for a beat. “My- What? Oh. Good to know, smooth talker. Keep your eyes on the road, so you don’t make me distract you.” 

Not a second later, she yawned, surprising herself that the adrenaline from rushing off was starting to fade. “Flirt with me later? I think I need to sleep. Are you okay driving for a bit?”

“Yeah, of course. You sleep. I’ll wake you up if I need to switch.”

Waverly awoke some time later. Quite a lot later, if the blurry, teal color of the numbers on the clock weren’t mistaken by their display of 4:07. She stretched and groaned, the passenger seat unkind even to her small frame.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked groggily.

“Good morning, sleepy head. I was going to, when we hit Missoula. Figured if you had a full night’s rest we could make it farther before we need to actually stop.”

“Wait, we’ve already crossed the border?”

“Yep. Long time ago. The nice border lady couldn’t bear to wake you either.”

“What’d you tell her?”

“That I’m stealing my barely-legal girlfriend to get hitched in Vegas.”

Waverly playfully slapped Nicole’s arm. “You did not!”

“What? It’s true.”

“It is not!”

“Oh? Then what  _ am  _ I doing?”

Waverly mumbled quickly, “Running-away-with-me-to-get-married.”

“I’m excited to marry you. Even if it is to get you citizenship.”

“And because I love you. You’re my rock, Nic, you know that?”

Without anything more than a glance, Nicole reached over and tucked a brunette strand behind her ear. She hummed in agreement. “I know you wouldn’t up and run with just anybody.”

“Only you. Plus, time isn’t moving any slower. If you don’t have a ring on your finger by the time you’re twenty one, everyone in Purgatory will start to think you’re an old maid.”

“Well then, why don’t you make an honest woman outta me, Waverly-almost-Haught?”

“Nothing in the world could stop me from doing just that.”

They stopped for gas, coffee, and a driver switch by 5am. Nicole fell asleep immediately after drinking a venti iced coffee, leaving Waverly to marvel at her girlfriend’s dysfunctional caffeine processing and to listen to one of the many road trip playlists she created. The girl in the passenger seat dozed off and on until lunch time.

They pulled over in BFE to eat lunch in the bed of the truck. They had barely opened the ice chest before the blaring sound of a phone ringing startled them.

It was Nicole’s, but, “It’s Gus,” Waverly announced.

Nicole scrambled to grab the device. “Oh shit, I’ll answer it.”

Waverly was nervous, to say the least, at having to face her aunt. Nicole, her rock. She always knew what to do. She always had the right words. “Should you?”

Her rock. Nicole always gave Waverly control when she needed it. “Only if you want me to.”

After a consenting nod, Nicole answered and immediately put the phone on speaker, “Hi, Mrs. Gibson.” She dragged out the first word, high pitched and shaking, like it would soften the following conversation if she was extra sweet.

“Cut the shit. Where’d you take my girl?”

Waverly cut in, “She didn’t kidnap me, Aunt Gus!”

“I figured as much, but I called to speak to Nicole. So I’ll ask again, where’d you take my girl?”

Nicole tried her best not to fumble, but Gus Gibson was a terrifying woman. “I- We can’t- We’re in the states.”

“All your stuff is gone. Are you there for good?”

“For good,” Waverly answered.

“Nicole Haught?!” the woman’s voice commanded.

“Yes, ma’am?”

The other end of the phone released a long, heavy sigh. “You take care of her. You hear me?”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course!”

“Waverly?”

“Yeah?” the girl squeaked.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you, missy.”

The girl’s heart raced. She let out a hum of affirmation, but couldn’t will herself to speak.

“You left the suds in the bucket. You know better.” Though her aunt’s voice was stern, there was an underlying hint of jest.

“I’m sorry, Gus,” Waverly let out a breath of laughter.

“Well, at least I know you aren’t gonna do it again. You better call me once you’re settled wherever you’re settling.”

“Okay. But I am- I’m sorry for-”

“I know you aren’t apologizing to me for living your life. I know I raised you better than that.”

“You did. You did.”

“Alright. I just needed to make sure you two were safe. Wish you told me before. I would’ve sent some money and a meal or two for your trip. Let me know if you need anything, okay girls?”

The two confirmed, thanking the woman. Gus continued with a few more lighthearted reprimands, but proved her acceptance with a joke about how Bunny Loblaw would keel over at the news and probably spread a rumor that the girls were smited.

After saying their goodbyes, they both felt lighter. Knowing that, in her own way, Gus supported their decision without the need to defend it was the exact kind of closure they needed.

Following a quiet lunch on the side of the road, a few stolen kisses between bites, and a debate over who would drive next, Waverly’s feet hung out the side of the window while Nicole hit 80mph on the highway.

“How long until Vegas, baby?” Waverly asked.

“Six hours, give or take,” Nicole answered.

“So we’re getting married… tomorrow?”

“Absolutely.”

“I almost can’t believe it. We’re starting our life together.”

“Waverly, our life together started the moment I saw you in history class.”

The passenger snorted and shifted her feet to cross the other way. “You know what I mean. We don’t have anything holding us back anymore.”

“You’re right. Nothing to stop me from loving you.”

“There’s nothing in this world that could stop that, Nic. I know it.”

Nicole looked over, noticing the way Waverly was watching her with awe. “I love you,” she stated simply.

“I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Would it surprise you to know that I really can't stand country music? The song was just too fitting to pass up.
> 
> Please let me know what you think! Questions? Comments? I'm here for it all, as long as you're nice about it ;)
> 
> Come be my friend on Twitter
> 
> xoxo, 🥃🦄


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